I had my appointment with the Doc at Alberta Back & Neck Rehab this morning. This is the place where they have a spinal decompression machine. After a long consultation, It was the opinion of the Doc that I take a lower back strength test. The test is done on a high tech device that isolates the lower back in order to test it's strength. It's called a Med-X. Once strapped into it, it calibrates your upper and lower limits of back motion. After it is all calibrated and set up by the Doc, it then lowers my upper body so that my chest is almost right up against my quads. Then, I have to push against the backpad with all my might. After a few seconds, it gets a reading. Then, it is raised back a bit, then I have to push again, and it gets another reading. It takes about 6 readings at varying range of motions up until I am fully hyperextended.

Well, I ended up scoring very poorly on the test - way below the average dude walking on the street who has never evn lifted before. All my other muscles like glutes, quads, upper back, etc scored very well above average.

The Doc is saying that the main culprit behind me "crapping out" (Yes, his words lol) on squats above 405 is precisely my very weak lower back, which is giving out long before my other muscles and thus causing the lean coming out of the hole.

Very interesting. He said a healthy back is a strong back. (Yes-Off Road - your wisdom was backed up by this doc) This same device used to test my strength is also the same device used to strengthen it. It precisely isolates the lower back. No other muscles can be used to assist.

I have 8 workouts on the device scheduled now over the next month. After the last session, they will retest. He pretty much guaranteed me my squatting and deadlifting will take off and said there is no reason why I cannot squat 450+ and pull 500, especially considering how strong the rest of my body is, and despite having the other issues in my lower back.

After the strengthening treatments, they will then start decompression sessions. I will go thru 20 of them.

All of this is going to cost me about $4000.00.

But you know what - I don't care. The ability to pull and squat again and reach my goals is worth it.

So, whaddaya all think about this? Does it make sense that poor lower back strength, especially in relation to really strong everything else, is the cause of me crapping out everytime I work my way up to a 410 and up squat?

Bump

__________________~~~Second Amendment~~~
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

~~~2 Chronicles 15:7 ~~~
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.